The highly-anticipated bout between Anthony Joshua and Tyson Fury could be postponed as Deontay Wilder’s arbitration case ordered that the Gypsy King must face the American for a third time.
Back in February 2020, Fury won the WBC world heavyweight title from Wilder in a rematch after an initial draw.
The two fighters were due to go toe-to-toe again for a third time but delays as a result of the coronavirus pandemic led Fury to seek an alternative match.
Wilder’s team have always maintained that they had a contractual right for a third fight with Fury and now a U.S. judge has ruled in their favour, insisting that the pair must fight before September 15.
Speaking to talkSPORT today (May 18), Frank Warren – Fury’s promoter – remained hopeful for the Joshua fight but admitted the ball is in Wilder’s court.
“We are hoping that we can come to some accommodation [with Wilder],” Warren said.
“We have started talks, and hopefully an accommodation will be met with Wilder’s side that will enable Tyson and AJ to get it on. If not, then Tyson will have to fight Wilder. That is the bottom line.
“There has to be some consideration and if we can get to some form of solution and he agrees to it, the benefit to Wilder is if Tyson wins the fight against AJ, then instead of fighting for just the WBC belt he’ll be fighting for four belts.
“It’s a problem and we have to deal with it. If Tyson has to fight Wilder, then that fight [against Joshua] will get delayed. We want it to go on straight away. That is the fight we want to see. That is what we are working hard, and have been working hard, to make happen.”
News of the the new hurdle for the AJ vs Fury bout comes days after the Gypsy King announced August 14 as the official day of the fight. However, unless things are arranged with Wilder’s team we’ll have to wait a little longer for the all-British super fight.